London’s Khaidian, while not exactly new to the UK’s DIY metal scene, start 2019 off with ambition to set themselves apart from the herd. Not content to be catalogued as one thing or the other, the foursome present to us their debut record Penumbra (Armalyte Industries) in the hopes to push Metal’s boundaries with their blend of poly-rhythmic technicality and electronic flair.Continue reading
Whilst the initial blaze of the Djent movement may have extinguished, it is clear today that the embers are still burning. The likes of TesseracT, Skyharbor and Uneven Structure may have distanced themselves somewhat from that original sound but are still strong and creative forces, whilst the likes of Monuments are still embracing that core style and firmly delivering.Continue reading
Despite a heavy music scene that is abundant in talent, not many of India’s Metal bands have appeared on the radar outside of their native country. Aside from the likes of Demonic Resurrection especially, Bhayanak Maut and (although more an international band) Skyharbor, India’s Metal scene is still a hidden entity to many on the outside. With a formidable live presence and with an exciting debut full length in Miasma (self-released), if there is any justice, Mathcore mentalists Orchid should be poised to be the scene’s next breakout.Continue reading
In the decade since Djent first hit the scene boasting algebraic riffs, yet also throwing back to the likes of Tangerine Dream’s spell-binding atmosphere. With Meshuggah being the catalyst and the lead that many of the scenes alumni would take inspiration, at the outset, it was a thriving community of bands and their ravenous fans.Continue reading
Currents burst onto the progressive side of the Metalcore scene with their debut album back in 2017, displaying an array of influences including Architects and Northlane. Just over a year later, and the band is back with their third EP.
Continuing on the same path they have previously laid out, Currents display some great Mathcore guitar feats focusing on twangy, winding guitar tones similar to the likes of Periphery or Veil of Maya, showing those bands influences very clearly on their sleeves, though the combination of their influences in one complete sound gives Currents their own unique sound.
Similar to The Place I Feel Safest, I Let The Devil In (Sharptone) features dark, introspective lyrics. The opening track, ‘Into Despair’ exhibits this perfectly as vocalist Brian Wille’s tortured screams cry out “I never said I could make you better, What did you expect from me?!” It’s clear this isn’t just a set of generic lyrics, but something that as cheesy as it sounds comes straight from the heart. Wille’s performance from start to end shows the passion and authenticity of the emotions from the lyrics.
While the overall sound of Currents could be grouped alongside a growing number of Tech Metalcore bands, the vocals and emotional content fits far more alongside bands like Casey. If Currents keep up the development of their music, they could be one of Metalcore’s new trendsetters.
8 / 10
CHARLIE HILL
Minimal waffle, maximum music – I’m very aware that there is too much music and not enough time! I’ve had close to 1,000 albums pass through my inbox this year alone (I’ve probably only been able to listen to about a third of them), and what I’m presenting are my favourite albums of 2018, the albums that I’ve connected most with, that matter most to me, one way or another.
Hope you find something new to get into… Continue reading
Even amongst a thriving but crowded Tech / Progressive Metal scene, Northampton (UK)’s Voices From The Fuselage have the potential and the quality to stand out. With a label re-release in 2016 and the presence of former TesseracT vocalist Ashe O’Hara at the forefront, their previous album Odyssey: Destroyer Of Worlds provided a benchmark album for UK Progressive Metal with a rich and layered sound combined with towering melodies and near pop sensibilities, showing them to have real crossover appeal.Continue reading
Instrumental and/or Progressive Metal are incredibly tricky beasts to pull off well. Aside from the obvious chops required to make music without vocals that retain attention and engages in its own right, but to pull it off with showing heart and emotion too is an entirely different matter. Formed in 2015 by three prominent UK-based, virtuoso musicians, Toska turned heads with their debut EP Ode To The Author, and based on the technical prowess on this new full-length Fire By The Silos (both self-released), and it is easy to see why.Continue reading
Back in the early days of the djent scene, British metallers Monuments were seen as one of the early originators of the style and rose alongside the likes of Textures and TesseracT (plus, of course to some influential degree Meshuggah and SikTh), yet seemed slower than most to ride the tide of momentum, with a full-length debut release coming significantly later than other bands from that cadre.Continue reading
The self-titled album is an interesting concept. Where the eponymous opus is not a debut, it is usually installed into a band’s canon as a way of stating that a specific album is either a summation of everything that represents a band – their pinnacle and natural conclusion of a journey of sound – or a launch of a bold new chapter, a “look at me now” redesign and rebranding. Fourth album in, and Australian Alternative Rock act Dead Letter Circus have opted to go down that route as a way of combining both those factors – a presentation of all that they have been, and a refocusing and refining of direction.Continue reading